Sunny Kuwait and we still suffer from Vitamin D deficiency!

Vitamin D is known for its role in bone mineralization by increasing calcium and phosphate absorption in the skeleton. Low levels of vitamin D are related to muscle weakness and bone pain and may lead to osteoporosis and osteomalacia.

Exposure to sun light is a key factor in producing the active form of vitamin. Surprisingly enough Kuwait has high levels of vitamin D deficiency and it is wide spread among all population groups including children, adolescents, adults and elderly.

Few studies are available for vitamin D levels in Kuwait but it is estimated that almost 100% of Kuwaiti population suffers from some form of vitamin D deficiency.

A study that was done in 2005 on full term pregnant Kuwaiti mothers and their babies showed that 40% of the mothers and 60% of the babies are vitamin D deficient on the day of delivery.

When compared to other Asian countries, Kuwaiti females have one of the highest rates of hip fracture as a result of osteoporosis and it is comparable to the rates in the western countries.

A number of reasons are responsible for this new epidemic including:

1. The harsh weather conditions that prevents people most of the year from enjoying outdoor activities and confine them to closed malls and facilities.

2. The tradition of wearing veils prevents sunlight from reaching the skin in veiled women.

One thought on “Sunny Kuwait and we still suffer from Vitamin D deficiency!”

Wow!! So even though this is a country that has tremendous sun exposure,the people still don’t get enough vitamin D. This is because they either stay out of the sun, or cover up? This is amazing. What’s needed is an educational program.